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A Dictionary of American Proverbs by Stewart A. Kingsbury (1991, Hardcover)

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Product Information

Americans have a gift for coining proverbs. "A picture is worth a thousand words" was not, as you might imagine, the product of ancient Chinese wisdom -- it was actually minted by advertising executive Fred Barnard in a 1921 advertisement for Printer's Ink magazine. After all, Americans are first and foremost a practical people and proverbs can be loosely defined as pithy statements that are generally accepted as true and useful. The next logical step would be to gather all of this wisdom together for a truly American celebration of shrewd advice. A Dictionary of American Proverbs is the first major collection of proverbs in the English language based on oral sources rather than written ones. Listed alphabetically according to their most significant key word, it features over 15,000 entries including uniquely American proverbs that have never before been recorded, as well as thousands of traditional proverbs that have found their way into American speech from classical, biblical, British, continental European, and American literature. Based on the fieldwork conducted over thirty years by the American Dialect Society, this volume is complete with historical references to the earliest written sources, and supplies variants and recorded geographical distribution after each proverb. Many surprised await the reader in this vast treasure trove of wit and wisdom. Collected here are nuggets of popular wisdom on all aspects of American life: weather, agriculture, travel, money, business, food, neighbors, friends, manners, government, politics, law, health, education, religion, music, song, and dance. And, to further enhance browsing pleasure, the editors have provided a detailed guide to the use of the work. While it's true that many of our best known proverbs have been supplied by the ever-present "Anonymous," many more can be attributed to some very famous Americans, like Ernest Hemingway, Abraham Lincoln, Benjamin Franklin, Mark Twain, J. Pierpont Morgan, Thomas Alva Edison, Abigail Adams, and Ralph Waldo Emerson, to name but a few offered in this fascinating collection. Who wouldn't want to know the origin of "the opera ain't over till the fat lady sings?" This uniquely American proverb and many more are gathered together in A Dictionary of American Proverbs. A great resource for students and scholars of literature, psychology, folklore, linguistics, anthropology, and cultural history, this endlessly intriguing volume is also a delightful companion for anyone with an interest in American culture.

Product Identifiers

PublisherOxford University Press, Incorporated

ISBN-100195053990

ISBN-139780195053999

eBay Product ID (ePID)49749

Product Key Features

Number of Pages736 Pages

Publication NameDictionary of American Proverbs

LanguageEnglish

SubjectDictionaries, Quotations

Publication Year1991

TypeNot Available

AuthorStewart A. Kingsbury

Subject AreaRéférence

FormatHardcover

Dimensions

Item Height1.8 in

Item Weight42.2 Oz

Item Length6.3 in

Item Width9.7 in

Additional Product Features

LCCN91-015508

Reviews"Sets new standards for understanding the oral tradition in America."--Library Journal"This is an excellent, well-conceived document of a fast-changing and perhaps dying segment of our language. Recommended for reference sections."--Library Journal"A very interesting work. Certainly, it will be of greatest use to researchers of language and folklore, but it lends itself to browsing as well."--RBB/Booklist"Should be added to all public and academic library collections because of its unique sampling of spoken American proverbs."--Choice"Fills an especially vital need in word study....A superb dictionary that should enhance the reference department of any general library. Recommended."--Reference Book Review"Stands as an exemplary and indispensable reference work, an enjoyable and revealing cross-section of American 'folk wisdom'....Proverbs scholars throughout the world owe a debt of gratitude to its three editors, who have succeeded in bringing this mammoth undertaking to fruition."--Proverbium"This is a mammoth, most comprehensive collection and is required reading for scholars of literature, psychology, folklore, linguistics, anthropology, and cultural history."--Come-All-Ye"Amazing....Outstanding....This is a mammoth work which offers a variety of resources for students of literature, history, and rhetoric. It is a valuable text, carefully researched and documented."--Review and Expositor"Sets new standards for understanding the oral tradition in America."--Library Journal"This is an excellent, well-conceived document of a fast-changing and perhaps dying segment of our language. Recommended for reference sections."--Library Journal"A very interesting work. Certainly, it will be of greatest use to researchers of language and folklore, but it lends itself to browsing as well."--RBB/Booklist"Should be added to all public and academic library collections because of its unique sampling of spoken American proverbs."--Choice"Fills an especially vital need in word study....A superb dictionary that should enhance the reference department of any general library. Recommended."--Reference Book Review"Stands as an exemplary and indispensable reference work, an enjoyable and revealing cross-section of American 'folk wisdom'....Proverbs scholars throughout the world owe a debt of gratitude to its three editors, who have succeeded in bringing this mammoth undertaking to fruition."--Proverbium"This is a mammoth, most comprehensive collection and is required reading for scholars of literature, psychology, folklore, linguistics, anthropology, and cultural history."--Come-All-Ye"Amazing....Outstanding....This is a mammoth work which offers a variety of resources for students of literature, history, and rhetoric. It is a valuable text, carefully researched and documented."--Review and Expositor, "Should be added to all public and academic library collections because of its unique sampling of spoken American proverbs."--Choice, "This is a mammoth, most comprehensive collection and is required readingfor scholars of literature, psychology, folklore, linguistics, anthropology, andcultural history."--Come-All-Ye, "This is an excellent, well-conceived document of a fast-changing andperhaps dying segment of our language. Recommended for referencesections."--Library Journal, "Fills an especially vital need in word study....A superb dictionary thatshould enhance the reference department of any general library.Recommended."--Reference Book Review, "Stands as an exemplary and indispensable reference work, an enjoyable andrevealing cross-section of American 'folk wisdom'....Proverbs scholarsthroughout the world owe a debt of gratitude to its three editors, who havesucceeded in bringing this mammoth undertaking to fruition."--Proverbium, "Amazing....Outstanding....This is a mammoth work which offers a varietyof resources for students of literature, history, and rhetoric. It is a valuabletext, carefully researched and documented."--Review and Expositor, "Sets new standards for understanding the oral tradition in America."-- Library Journal "This is an excellent, well-conceived document of a fast-changing and perhaps dying segment of our language. Recommended for reference sections."-- Library Journal "A very interesting work. Certainly, it will be of greatest use to researchers of language and folklore, but it lends itself to browsing as well."-- RBB/Booklist "Should be added to all public and academic library collections because of its unique sampling of spoken American proverbs."-- Choice "Fills an especially vital need in word study....A superb dictionary that should enhance the reference department of any general library. Recommended."-- Reference Book Review "Stands as an exemplary and indispensable reference work, an enjoyable and revealing cross-section of American 'folk wisdom'....Proverbs scholars throughout the world owe a debt of gratitude to its three editors, who have succeeded in bringing this mammoth undertaking to fruition."-- Proverbium "This is a mammoth, most comprehensive collection and is required reading for scholars of literature, psychology, folklore, linguistics, anthropology, and cultural history."-- Come-All-Ye "Amazing....Outstanding....This is a mammoth work which offers a variety of resources for students of literature, history, and rhetoric. It is a valuable text, carefully researched and documented."-- Review and Expositor, "Should be added to all public and academic library collections because ofits unique sampling of spoken American proverbs."--Choice, "Sets new standards for understanding the oral tradition in America."--Library Journal"This is an excellent, well-conceived document of a fast-changing and perhaps dying segment of our language. Recommended for reference sections."--Library Journal"A very interesting work. Certainly, it will be of greatest use to researchers of language and folklore, but it lends itself to browsing as well."--RBB/Booklist"Should be added to all public and academic library collections because of its unique sampling of spoken American proverbs."--Choice"Fills an especially vital need in word study....A superb dictionary that should enhance the reference department of any general library. Recommended."--Reference Book Review"Stands as an exemplary and indispensable reference work, an enjoyable and revealing cross-section of American 'folk wisdom'....Proverbs scholars throughout the world owe a debt of gratitude to its three editors, who have succeeded in bringing this mammoth undertaking to fruition."--Proverbium"This is a mammoth, most comprehensive collection and is required reading for scholars of literature, psychology, folklore, linguistics, anthropology, and cultural history."--Come-All-Ye"Amazing....Outstanding....This is a mammoth work which offers a variety of resources for students of literature, history, and rhetoric. It is a valuable text, carefully researched and documented."--Review and Expositor, "A very interesting work. Certainly, it will be of greatest use toresearchers of language and folklore, but it lends itself to browsing aswell."--RBB/Booklist, "Stands as an exemplary and indispensable reference work, an enjoyable and revealing cross-section of American 'folk wisdom'....Proverbs scholars throughout the world owe a debt of gratitude to its three editors, who have succeeded in bringing this mammoth undertaking tofruition."--Proverbium, "A very interesting work. Certainly, it will be of greatest use to researchers of language and folklore, but it lends itself to browsing as well."--RBB/Booklist, "Amazing....Outstanding....This is a mammoth work which offers a variety of resources for students of literature, history, and rhetoric. It is a valuable text, carefully researched and documented."--Review and Expositor, "Sets new standards for understanding the oral tradition in America."--Library Journal "This is an excellent, well-conceived document of a fast-changing and perhaps dying segment of our language. Recommended for reference sections."--Library Journal "A very interesting work. Certainly, it will be of greatest use to researchers of language and folklore, but it lends itself to browsing as well."--RBB/Booklist "Should be added to all public and academic library collections because of its unique sampling of spoken American proverbs."--Choice "Fills an especially vital need in word study....A superb dictionary that should enhance the reference department of any general library. Recommended."--Reference Book Review "Stands as an exemplary and indispensable reference work, an enjoyable and revealing cross-section of American 'folk wisdom'....Proverbs scholars throughout the world owe a debt of gratitude to its three editors, who have succeeded in bringing this mammoth undertaking to fruition."--Proverbium "This is a mammoth, most comprehensive collection and is required reading for scholars of literature, psychology, folklore, linguistics, anthropology, and cultural history."--Come-All-Ye "Amazing....Outstanding....This is a mammoth work which offers a variety of resources for students of literature, history, and rhetoric. It is a valuable text, carefully researched and documented."--Review and Expositor, "Fills an especially vital need in word study....A superb dictionary that should enhance the reference department of any general library. Recommended."--Reference Book Review, "This is a mammoth, most comprehensive collection and is required reading for scholars of literature, psychology, folklore, linguistics, anthropology, and cultural history."--Come-All-Ye, "This is an excellent, well-conceived document of a fast-changing and perhaps dying segment of our language. Recommended for reference sections."--Library Journal

Dewey Edition20

Dewey Decimal398.9/21

Intended AudienceScholarly & Professional

Lc Classification NumberPn6426.D53 1991